The Subtle Art of Gifts
by TheLadyofSlytherin
Summary: A painting causes quite a stir as Severus's Birthday draws closer. Beware: Mature Content and transparent plot


-Just a random little idea that popped into my head. There is not a lot of definitive plot and should be read by mature readers only. It is rated M for a reason.

Disclaimer: No profit being made.

* * *

He stood stock still and glanced at his, he cringed, girlfriend. In his opinion, which was always the right one, he was far too old for a girlfriend. Potter had told him, however, that 'significant other' made him sound homosexual. While only minimally judging people, like Potter, who decided that they preferred wands, he did not want the same to be thought of him. His shock was not from having someone he had to call girlfriend, though. No. His shock was from the small painting he held of said girlfriend.

"Hermione?"

"Everything alright?" She asked, poking her head out of the bathroom.

"I'm not entirely certain."

"Severus, what on earth has you this rattled so ea-," she stopped as she looked over his shoulder. "Where did you get that?

To his surprise, it was delight that spread over her face.

"I don't understand," he said.

"Don't you like it?"

Severus couldn't argue that he didn't like it. Hermione without clothes was always a plus for him and that is exactly what the small watercolor was. A nude painting of the woman he was sleeping with. What he did not like was that fact that someone else saw her and was in a position to paint her.

"I like your part in this," he said. "But who painted it?"

"Harry."

He dropped the painting and spun to look at her. "Potter's seen you naked?"

"Severus, you know better than anyone Harry's not into women. He's just my very good friend and one day after we had a little too much to drink, we did this. I painted one of him, as well."

"You've seen Potter naked?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and picked the painting back up. "He was going through his discovery phase."

Severus groaned. For about three months, Potter was trying to 'find' himself and had made everyone else miserable while he was doing it. Never mind the fact that everyone knew that it was actually just him gathering the courage to tell everyone he'd been 'secretly' shagging Charlie Weasley.

"It's just a painting, Severus, and Harry is my friend. We weren't doing anything wrong."

"Art, like morality, consists of drawing a line somewhere. Having Potter paint you naked, and obviously when you were dating me, disregards both!"

"Please don't quote Chesterton to me and it was a present for you."

"Then why hadn't you given it to me?"

"You're Birthday is next week, you miserable bat. This is what happens when you poke through my things."

"It was shoved in the bookshelf."

"When was the last time you actually read _Hogwarts, A History_?" Hermione asked, putting her hands on her hips. "In fact, I think you were trying to find your gift."

Her accusation was rewarded by his slight blush.

"Besides," Hermione said. "It was no treat for me. He was trying to be deep and kept going around exclaiming things that he thought had some significance, but was actually nothing more than a load of rubbish."

"Sounds terrible."

"Yes! It was awful and I only put up with it so that I had something to give to you that you wouldn't get anywhere else and something that you didn't have already," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You succeeded," Severus said, still looking a little put out but hugging her.

"And now you've ruined your surprise and I am not inclined to give you the present that goes along with this little painting."

"There's another part?" He asked, curiosity getting the better of him. Hermione's surprises were always worthwhile.

"Yes, but you don't get it until your Birthday. If you hadn't been snooping and had only accidently uncovered it, you might have gotten it now."

"Hermione," he groaned. Her holding back only meant one thing and the fact that she was now upset probably meant he wouldn't see her naked again until his Birthday. He looked at the painting in his hand. It was something.

"And I'll take that," she said, plucking the picture from his hands. She laughed as he pouted and kissed him. "Be a good boy between now and your Birthday and I'll make it worth your while."

He growled in the back of his throat and pulled her against him. "I think you should give me a preview."

Hermione leaned up to kiss his jaw line, slowly making her way up to his ear. She bit him lightly before whispering, "Where would the fun of that be?"

* * *

Severus was on edge all week. He had never regretted looking for his present this much. It had been exactly seven months since they had gone this long without sex and that was because he had been at a retreat for Potion's Masters. Detentions hadn't been so high in years and he could tell that Hermione felt no remorse. It would serve her right if he put her precious Gryffindors into last place. He knew if he did that, however, he would only end up further regretting it. That meant he had to be an equal opportunist.

"When are you going to fold, my dear?" He asked her as they climbed into bed two days before his Birthday.

"Severus, you're the one who has been panting since you found that painting. If you'd only behaved yourself. You spoiled my surprise."

"It's only because I love your surprises," he said and began to kiss her neck. He felt a swell of pride as her pulse quickened.

"If you loved my surprises so much, you would have waited for it," she told him and while she snuggled closer to him, he knew that it was only to go to sleep.

Sighing, Severus wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. He did love her, although he didn't say it often. He was certain they would end up married, although the thought terrified him. His know-it-all. Who still managed to make him feel better about himself and still managed to surprise him from time to time. She was the only one who could put up with his mood swings and talked back to him and he loved her for it.

He just wished he could have his present.

* * *

On the morning of his Birthday, Severus woke with a start and rolled over, prepared to be amazed. Disappointment struck when Hermione was not lying next to him. He sat up and looked around, his minx of a girlfriend nowhere in sight. How dare she run off and leave him frustrated once again with no greetings for his special day or anything.

Throwing off the duvet, Severus stalked into his living room. Again, absent of growingly obnoxious Gryffindors. An envelope was sitting on the coffee table. He ripped it open and found his watercolor. Having not seen Hermione naked in a week, he felt himself instantly harden. It took him a second to notice that the painting had slightly changed. Whereas last week the portrait had been still, the charm to make it active had been put in place. Hermione slyly winked up at him and twirled her finger.

Severus smirked and flipped the picture over.

_My Now Desperately Horny Slytherin,_

_ Now you know why you couldn't keep your picture. I hope she keeps you entertained until I manage to get you alone. I do want you to have a wonderful Birthday and I want you to look at this painting and just enjoy the show. The rule, however, is that you are not allowed to touch yourself and believe me when I say I have made sure you can't. If you try, you will not enjoy tonight. Also, remember what happened when you ruined your last surprise. Do you really want to risk it?_

_ Love, _

_ An Increasingly Desperate Gryffindor_

Severus cursed. He wondered what the consequences of touching himself actually were. He debated for about three seconds before he realized with his brilliant Hermione, it was not worth it. Instead, he turned the picture back over and sat down on the sofa.

Hermione winked at him again and then moved from the relaxed position on her stomach and into the chair that was also in the shot. She sat, crossing her legs before he saw the angle he wanted. Bringing her hands up to her breasts, her mouth fell open and Severus once again cursed Hermione for whatever she had set up to prevent him from bringing himself some pleasure. Painting Hermione seemed to realize that his mind had briefly wandered off because she stopped touching herself.

He quickly brought his attention back to her and her smile widened. While one hand went back to her breast, the other hand went to her face, fingers tracing her lips before one slipped into her mouth and he watched her suck at it. A groan fell from his lips as he leaned back in his chair, cock throbbing. Not daring to touch himself, just in case, Severus waved his wand, causing his boxers to disappear. At least without anything touching him he was less inclined to force his completion.

Painting Hermione smirked and then let her legs fall open, Severus's mouth watering as he took all of her in. The fact that Potter must have seen this angle made him furious, but as the hand massaging her breast moved down, he found that nothing else mattered. She purposely avoided touching her beautiful pussy, but he desperately wished his tongue could follow the circled patterns her fingers were tracing on her porcelain thighs. After what seemed like hours of teasing, her other hand fell from her face and dove to her glistening entrance.

The vixen in her showed in her expression before she pushed two fingers inside of her, her head falling against the back of the chair. The hand on her thigh went back to her breast, pinching her nipples. Her head rolled to the side and Severus could feel himself growing harder at the thought of replacing her fingers with his own, with his tongue. He was going to punish her for this later. Torturing him on his Birthday.

Suddenly her less busy hand was circling her clit, both moving faster. The painting Hermione flushed in the same way as real Hermione as she got closer to completion and Severus watched in fascination as she pulled her fingers out, soaked with her juices and raised them to her mouth. That was one thing real Hermione never felt comfortable doing, but something that Severus found so damn sexy. The hand at her clit moved faster and faster and her back began to arch off the chair, still sucking at her fingers he watched as her muscles twitched and then she fell still, a completely sated look crossing her face and Severus found he couldn't hold back as he came hard across the small living room.

His heart was racing and his mind going a million miles an hour. Only Hermione could manage to get him off without anything touching him.

* * *

If anything, the peep show only made Severus more anxious to get his hands on Hermione. The only problem was that they taught the complete opposite schedules and he would not see her until lunch. If she decided to show up. However, with the attitude she seemed to be taking, she probably would not come just to torture him.

With that thought in mind, Severus quickly showered and prepared for his first year class. They were idiots and barely awake in the mornings. Between the Hufflepuffs trying to help everyone and the Ravenclaws pretending to know everything, he was ready to kill them. It was only marginally better than the third years that he taught after them. As the first years left, he waited with a certain amount of dread for the third years to arrive.

Ten minutes after class was supposed to start, however, he was beginning to get cross. No one was late to his classes, never mind an entire class. Just as he stood up the door opened and Hermione walked in. She closed the door behind her and locked it. A wave of her wand later and she was dressed in a Gryffindor uniform that was far too slutty to be legal.

"Hermione, I've got class right now."

"Really, Professor? The sign on the door says class is cancelled."

Severus swallowed as she moved closer to him. They had often played this game, but never when they were supposed to be doing other things. Never in the middle of the morning when students were wandering the halls outside his classroom and teachers could walk in at any moment.

She stood a few inches in front of him and ran her hand down his chest. Any thoughts of interruption left as she pushed him back into his chair. Severus made to touch her, but she pulled back.

"Naughty, Professor," she teased. "You know better than to touch your students. If you did that I would obviously have to leave and tell the Headmaster."

Severus growled. Another game where he was not allowed to touch. Whenever they played this game he was always allowed to touch her. Spank her, punish her. He shuddered, Merlin he needed her. She seemed to understand his pain and unzipped his trousers, his cock climbing out, demanding satisfaction.

Without preamble, Hermione was on her knees and sucking him. Tongue desperately swirling and licking every inch of him. A groan sounded in the back of his throat and he went to put his hands on her head. This made her pull back.

"No touching your students! And since there's no silencing charm, I'd be a little careful, Professor."

Bloody hell, the minx was going to kill him, and he almost jumped out of his chair when her mouth enveloped him again. She sucked him like a straw and after a week of abstinence it did not take long for him to be at bursting point. Hermione, being too good at reading him, noticed this and pulled back. His frustration was mounting and he wanted nothing more than to sink into her. Punish her with his dick for all the teasing.

After a few leisurely strokes with her tongue, Hermione must have been satisfied that he would last a bit longer because she reapplied herself to the rapid bobbing. His cock hit the back of her throat and she pushed him a little further. The slightly contraction of her throat protesting his invasion sent him over the edge and he barely had time to warn her before he came deep in her. He wanted to grab her hair, but she pulled herself closer to him, swallowing everything that he gave her.

As soon as she licked him clean, she zipped him back up and moved away from his chair. "Happy Birthday, Professor," she said in a sultry voice, winked at him, and then she had disappeared from him classroom, leaving a dazed Severus in her wake.

Bloody hell.

* * *

He wanted to touch her. Not wanting to risk anything, he had not gone to lunch and now it was closing in on supper and he knew from earlier that Hermione had arranged for them to have their meal in his quarters. Anxiety had him pacing the living room, Hermione's painting clutched in his hand.

A house elf suddenly appeared with a covered tray and Severus took it from him, watching him pop back out. He waited a few moments before lifting the lid a little, wondering what Hermione had set up for them. Instead of food, however, he found another envelope. Looking around, he expected Hermione to show up and explain but realizing that it wasn't going to happen, he opened the note.

_I thought I'd let you eat in the bedroom tonight._

He dropped the card and went to throw open his bedroom door. There she was, a silver bow tied around her, wrapping sideways across her stomach just under her breasts, over her shoulder, between her breasts, and tied in a neat bow between her gorgeous legs.

"Fuck, Hermione," he said in a breath.

"Are you hungry, Severus?"

His legs weren't working. Wondering briefly if he was suffering from some sort of attack, he just stared at her.

"Come to me," she whispered. That was all it took to shake his spell and in seconds, Severus was leaning over her.

"I want to kiss you," he said.

"Yes!"

His mouth was on hers, pouring out the frustration he had felt all day, his hands roaming her body, alternately finding skin and silk.

"Do you have any idea how much I have wanted you all day?" He asked, not bothering to pull away from her lips. His hands found her breasts and gave them a light squeeze before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her as close as he could, the bow between her legs rubbing against his erection.

Severus pulled his wand out of his robes and banished his clothes, before flinging his wand away. Having that accomplished, he pulled back, straddling her thighs. She looked beautiful, the silver bow hiding her most intimate parts and causing her tits to look amazing. He ran his hands over the material and feeling a little evil, pulled the vertical bit, causing the bow to press against her juncture.

Hermione hissed and her head lolled to the side, making him flash back to her painting's show. He pulled again, this time making sure to that the ribbon was between her folds and the bow pressed against her clit.

"Severus!"

"Should I unwrap you, my dear?"

"That is the point of a present," she hissed, as he pulled again. He watched as a moist patch began to form just behind the bow. The things she did to him.

"Do you want me to unwrap you now?"

"Oh!" she cried and bucked her hips. "Yes! Show me how much you want me!"

Severus was a little reluctant to get rid of the ribbon, but as he pulled at the bow, he had another idea. "I think it is time for a little payback, love."

Wide brown eyes met his gaze and he could practically hear her questions. To distract her, he once again kissed her until she was aware of only that, while he slowly pulled the silver wrapping away from her. He moved her further up the bed and reached to grab her wand from the bedside table. With a few choice words, the ribbon wrapped itself around Hermione's arms and wrists before attaching itself to the headboard.

Her shocked expression when he pulled back was worth it. "Now _you_ are not allowed to touch," he purred and ran a hand across her stomach, causing the muscles to contract. "What should I do with you? Hmm?"

"Severus," she moaned as his hands began to trail down brushing against the top of her shaved mound. He groaned. It was not often that she went completely bare for him and he took full advantage of it by replacing his hands with his mouth, watching her expression as he ran his tongue over her clit, between her folds, and finally rested it against her entrance.

The absolute smell of Hermione surrounded him and he could see her juices shimmering in the light of the bedroom. He was so overwhelmed with her, with the day, with everything that she had done for him that he only briefly pressed his tongue inside her before moving up and ramming his ready cock into her. Her shriek of pleasure went straight to his balls and he pulled out briefly before slamming back in.

Severus did not move fast, but he made sure his strokes were powerful and showed her his full force. Everything that his beautiful witch had done for him surfaced in his mind and he threw one of her legs over his shoulder before leaning down to kiss her, still pushing himself in and out of her tight body.

Whimpers became cries under his lips and he pulled away as her head rocked back and forth.

"Look at me," he demanded and waited for her eyes to lock on his. "I love you."

With those simple words, she tightened around him, the force of her screams matching the force of her grip on his expectant member. He came before she had even finished and he gave her a bruising kiss as he finished, feeling himself empty inside of her. They stayed like that until Hermione pulled at her arms, Severus suddenly remember her restraints.

As soon as he had let her go, Hermione wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, too."

"Thank you for my gifts," he said. "I am going to have to find somewhere special for your painting."

"Mmm," she snuggled closer to him. "I'm glad you liked them."

"I do have a question for you."

"Yes?"

He could tell she was on the verge of falling asleep and he would not be far behind her. "What spell did you use to keep me from touching myself this morning?"

She smirked, her eyes falling closed. "I didn't."


End file.
